Hair We Go Again

I’ve just survived one of the most terrifying events a woman can live through. I had a hair appointment scheduled yesterday, and received an ominous message from the salon on Tuesday. Cynthia no longer works here.

OK, back it up…what? The woman said she’d be happy to set me up with mumbled name who could take care of me. Umm, no. A woman doesn’t just change stylists like it’s no big deal. Geography broke me up with my beloved Kim several years ago, and I got settled in to a new salon, downtown, close to my office. I read in Washingtonian that redheads worth their salt would not dream of seeing anyone other than Melissa at this new salon.

I got semi-attached to Melissa; she did a nice job getting color back in my hair when it grew back from chemo. The next thing you know, Melissa is pregnant with baby #2 and won’t be coming downtown to do hair anymore. I allowed myself to be gently placed in Derek’s hands. Derek was good…until he decided to move back to Nashville and left me high and dry, with gray roots.

I was persuaded to try stylist #3; let’s just call her Snooty McCrabby. Not only was she not nice, she was a terrible stylist. One visit with her and I was done. The husband, who typically wouldn’t notice if I burst into flames, greeted me with “holy sh*t what happened to you?” Just for the record, that is not a good thing to say when a woman comes out of a salon.

They promised me that Cynthia was the answer to my prayers, and right they were. She fixed the other disaster and got my hair just the right color (the formerly natural color). We’ve been sailing along, happy happy happy. Cynthia no longer works here.

I was fired up this time. I decided to pitch a hissy fit and make them tell me where Cynthia went. I gathered my thoughts and called, ready for a fight. But the receptionist didn’t fight back. She immediately coughed up the information without me even having to threaten her. Thank goodness Cynthia is still downtown, and my hair is freshly “naturally” red as we speak.

But this is a Tale of Two Salons as well. The salon I just broke it off with is lovely. They have big dishes of chocolate candy and TVs all over the place, tuned to Bravo. There are no mirrors in the area where they do color, so I never accidentally glimpsed myself looking like the Bride of Frankenstein. No mirrors until everything was done, a nice touch I always thought. The new salon is nice but no TVs, no chocolate, and plenty of mirrors, so I was once again reminded why it’s a bad idea to look in the mirror when in the midst of “processing.”

I’m sure I’ll settle in to the new salon, but this whole thing has been very traumatic. I’ve experienced an inordinate amount of Stylist Anxiety and might need some peanut M&Ms just to calm my frazzled nerves. Crisis, narrowly averted.

16 Responses to Hair We Go Again

What can I say, I feel very special. You & all the lady’s had me laughing with all the comments. No need to plant a chip in me, I’ve got your contact info now. Fyi, I’m not a fan of the mirrors either. As for the chocolates & bravo. I can always supply the chocolates if you bring the phone or iPad so we can watch Bravo. You don’t even have to share the chocolates with me since I’m lactose intolerant. Fyi, I’ll be emailing you soon with an update! Brace yourself…I’m actually not going to stay at the new salon for long. As crazy as it sounds, there’s another salon that may be a better fit. I want to make sure that the salon I end up in is a long term fit for me & my clients. Don’t get me wrong, everyone at the new salon is nice & all, but I didn’t get rave reviews from all my clients. I don’t want y’all to suffer due to my relocation. So, fingers crossed, & I’ll make sure to keep you updated.

Uffda – there are few things more traumatic than losing a beloved hair stylist. Here’s the plan to prevent future mishaps and reduce current stress. (1) Get Cynthia’s cell # or insert a GPS tracker under her skin when she’s not looking (2) Bring a “care basket” with you to the salon. Fill it with your favorite chocolate and towels to hang over the mirrors. (If you share the candy, be sure to charge a hefty fee to other patrons. You might be able to earn enough to pay for your cut or even make a tidy profit.) (3) Get a Bravo app for a handheld device and bring a little stand to set it on. Set it up when you arrive and convince yourself it’s a large screen TV that’s very far away.

Glad you and Cynthia were reunited. Your hair looks gorgeous! I’m sure you dazzled the interviewer and will mesmerize Monday’s audience!

I think I have written about my hair more than anything else. I had a new cut today. I was terrified but the old one wasn’t working. Winter, dryness, frizzles….the old story. I love humidity for my hair. I have had some of the worst hair experiences ever and I’m not even a redhead (which I’ve heard is the hardest!) Glad you made it out of the tunnel unscathed.

WOW! You got my attention with this one – hairdresser shopping is one of life’s most traumatic experiences – especially when you have hair like you and I have. My crazy curls don’t “just happen”!!! So happy that they coughed up her info – otherwise it might have sent you into writer’s block and then we’d ALL suffer….so thank Cynthia for all of us. : )

Thanks Glenda, it takes another naturally curly girl to understand the drama. However, since it’s winter, I splurged on a blow-out and my hair is straight with soft curls at the bottom. No point even trying that business in the summer…

Oh my friend, this is just wrong – it’s anxiety-producing enough to have to look in the mirror when one looks like a drowned rat, but to have to fret over one’s color is just almost too much to bear. Your hair color looks perfect!